President Xi Jinping has underlined the need for Beijing and Washington to maintain the momentum of the steady development of bilateral relations to strive for more positive progress, emphasizing that it is important for China and the United States to jointly safeguard the outcomes of the victory in World War II.

Xi made the remarks during a telephone conversation with United States President Donald Trump on Monday evening.

Xi talked about his meeting with Trump in Busan, Republic of Korea, last month as well as the important consensuses they reached during that meeting, saying that they have recalibrated the course of the giant ship of China-US relations and provided more momentum for it to sail forward steadily, sending a positive signal to the world.

He said that since the Busan meeting, China-US relations have generally maintained a steady and positive trajectory, which has been welcomed by both countries as well as the international community.

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What has happened demonstrates yet again that the description of China-US cooperation benefiting both sides and confrontation hurting both sides reflects a common sense that has been repeatedly proved by experience, and the vision of China and the US helping each other succeed and prosper together is a tangible prospect within reach, Xi said.

He called for both countries to maintain this momentum, adhere to the correct direction, and uphold the attitude of equality, respect and mutual benefit.

Both sides should lengthen the list of cooperation and shorten the list of problems, striving for more positive progress and creating new spaces for cooperation for China-US relations in order to benefit the people of both countries and the world, he added.

Xi reiterated China's principled stance on the Taiwan question, emphasizing that Taiwan's return to China is an important part of the postwar international order.

China and the US once stood together against fascism and militarism, and given what is going on, it is more important for them to jointly safeguard the results of the victory in World War II, he said.

Trump said that President Xi is a great leader. He noted that he enjoyed the meeting with Xi in Busan and he fully agreed with Xi on his comments about bilateral relations.

He said that both sides are comprehensively implementing the important consensuses they reached at the Busan meeting.

The US acknowledges the significant role China played in the victory in World War II and understands the importance of the Taiwan question to China, Trump said.

The two leaders also talked about the Ukraine crisis. Xi emphasized that China supports all efforts that are conducive to peace, and hopes that all parties will continue to narrow their differences to reach a fair, lasting and binding peace agreement to resolve the crisis at its root.

Contact the writer at caodesheng@chinadaily.com.cn